Confidential sheet-blind.



c. E. MQGILL. IIONFHJENTIAI SHEET BLIND. APPLICATIQN FILED SEPL 2].. 1-916- I Patented Feb 26, 1918.

TENT OFFICE;

CHARLES E. MoGILL, OF COLOEADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

comtxnmwrur, simm 1m Ipeclflcatlon of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918 Appllutlon filed September 21 1916. 'Iefial No. 121,466.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. MCGILL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at I Colorado Springs, in the county of El Peso,-

5 State of (iolorado, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Confidential Sheet-Blinds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvcntion, such as will enable others skilled in the'nrt to which it ap pertains to make and use the sa me.

This invention relates to a confidential sheet-blind, or shield attachment for typewriters.

The purpose of the invention is to enable a typist to safely write private or confidential matter, notes or dictation on the typewriterin the presence of others, bystanders and onlookers, without them seeing what the 2'0 typist is wr'iti-ngrwhile at the same time the typist"l ii-msel f seessuili ci-ent of what is being; written to do the work properly that is the typis-t sees one or two lines of writing.

The: essence of the invent-ion is the use of a sheetofi pope identical with the; one

upon. whi'c the wr is bei-ng'perforrned,

or simiilir-rl. and. opaque sheet as long.

and as wide as the one being" written on, held? in an proper position and covering substzmtiiel ly all oi that portion of the sheet being Written on whereon characters have been impressed A. further object of the invention is to provides deviceof this character which is exceed 'i nigly simple in construction and can be: readii' mpp to awell known. make of typewriter so at when in flplace thereon a sheet ofl suitable paper or exi'ble material can: he supported over, in advance of,'a,n'd f0 to -t he= nearefig the" platen so a'sto conceal not 911113 the: lines of" typewritten matter 1m"- mediiifiel. aboveplatens us all? the printed matter on the a ge-emit; emerges hematite-typewr ter until 5- the: page: is rremovedi firom the machine.

Hi object of the invention is we (levies of this character so co nul- G itiiwlaE-wlien=.t lie sliieldis in: use-1t will no way imfem with: the operation ofga'nt's 'ofithe mach ne; It 181wwefli known.- fact; that in many HP '1 iii: to? typewritematter the" scale bar adjacentthe" which is strictly confidential, but if the typewritten, matter ise'x'poscd to the scrutiny of a person other than the operator they can tails of construction and combinations of.

parts hereinafter full y described,- illustrated in the accompai'rying drawings, and specifi- (rally claimed. H 1

In the accompanying drawin like eharactors of reference indicate H e parts in the several views, and:'

Figure l is a fragmentary front elevation of a typewriter equipped with the device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the some;

Fig; 3 is adetuil perspective view of one of the paper guides.

F ig. 4 is a detail perspective" view of the envelopholder.

Fig. is adingrain-matic view showin the relative" positions of the platen roll, 'sterr brick, sheet being writtenon and blind-sheet;-

Refcrring to the drawing 1 indficiites the platen of the typewriter \v ich is here" ind-i cated as being of the well known Underwood" type although it is obvious that. the invention is not intended to be, confinedto any particular muke or type of typewriter; Slide-lily associated with the platen in the usual manner are the paper guides 2, said guides beingof the conventional form and hiiving attached thereto in any suitable manner so'ckct's3 inwhich are fixed the inner'end s of the spring fingers 4, said fingers being: curved upwardly and having their inner ends t'urncl upwardb' as at 5 so thatth'e shield? 6' can have its side edges readily engaged under the fingers :nnl' since the linger-sengage yieldub v the upper edges of the bars 7 of the guides if it is obvious that theshield' will be held firmly in place, but? can-be readily removedwhen desired; M

'Flieiconfidential sheet-blind: 0'1 shield preferably is a sheet of paper identical with the one being written on,-o'r' item-Deformed opaque s eeti of material, andicanbe of any other sim'iliirly flexible; pliant,

eolor'd'esired"; but it is preferable that it be of a the arm 8.

' block 9 which is the arm 8 an the same color as. the sheet being printed upon, since it will then be less noticeable to an observer.

The envelop holding arm 8 consists of a pivotally connected to'the frame of the typewriter, said block being provided with the shoulder 10 which has engaged therewith the bar 11 of the sprin finger 12, saidbar being held in clam ed engagement with the shoulder by the adiacent end of the arm 8. The 5 ring fin 'er 12 is curved downwardly and llusts end turned upwardl as at 13 so that the front edge of the s ield 6 can be readily slipped under the finger 12 and will be held yieldably en aged with the upper edge of o prevent accidental slipping of the shield the arm 8 has its upper ed e provided with serrations 14 which lie (fl-o rectly under the point where the finger l2 exerts the most pressure.

Thus it will be seen that the confidental sheet-blind or shield 6 can be-readily positioned with its side edges engaged between spring fingers 4, and bars 7, or otherwise; or, its front ed e engaged centrally between spring finger I2, or other- The shield will be held in such a position that its rear surface willcover the sheet '"Q'after the writing'is accomplished but will permit said sheet to be readily removed from the platen or engaged therewith.

In operationa sheet of paper on which private or confidential matter, notes or dictation is to be written is laced in the typewriter. The blind sheet, that is, a plain sheet of paper similar to they one to be Written upon, or a similarly pliant, opaque sheet, is now drawn across the top of the typewriter from the back toward the front of the machine, coveringthe sheet to be written upon. The front edge of the blind sheet is cau ht under the tongue on the envelop hol er (Underwood machine), or it may be held by fastenings at the sides, or otherwise, if preferred. The sheet is then pulled forward till only one or at most two lines of writing on the writing sheet will be. visible to the operator, who is then ready to go ahead with his private or confidential Work. i v

The blind sheet is fixed, stationary. The writing sheet, thatisjthe' one on which the operator iswriting, moves just as usual;-

but, it now moves under the blind sheet, and the work is shielded, the writing sheet showing onlya line of writing.

Thus is the typists work protected from the scrutiny of others.

Having thus described, the invention,'

what is claimed as new, is:- I '1. The combination with a type'wntlng thereof envelop arm and he] a sheet being printed upon, as and for the thereby means holding means into conformity with the corresponding portion of upon.

2. The combination with a typewriting machine, of holding means carried thereby and a blind sheet held in the holdin means in position to cover the longitudina extenthe sheet written sion of the sheet that has passed beyond the line of-writing in the machine, theblind sheet being 01 av material of such flexibility as to permit of forward swinging of the portion beyond the holding" means to disclose the corresponding part of the sheet written upon.

The combination with a typewriting machine, of holding means carried thereby and a blind sheet removably held in the holding means in position to cover the longitudinal extension of thesheet that has passed beyond the line of writing in the machine, the blind sheet being of a material of such'flexibility as to insure gravitation beyond the holding means into conformity with the corresponding portion of the sheet written upon.

4.- The combina'tlon' machine, of holding means carried thereby longitudina extenand a blind sheet removablyheld in the means to disclose the corresponding part of the sheet written upon.

5. In a t pewritm machine the com a K g a bination wit a carriage including a'platen, of-paper guides adjacent to the platen, a

bIind 'sheeLand means carriedby the paper guides for yieldably engaging the sheet to hold the same in position to cover a sheet bein written upon, as and for the purpose set f ort 6. Ina typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage including a platen, of an envelo arm, a resilient finger carried thereby, an yieldably engaged b the finger of-the in position to cover purpose set forth.

7. In a t pewritingmachine, the combination wit a carriage-includinga platen, of paper guides associated with: the "platen,

resilient fingers supported by the guides, an

a shield of flexible material 'en'veloparm, a resilient finger carried b In testimony whereof, I affix my thearm, a, shield of flexible material yie'h ture, in the presence of two witnesses. ably enga ed by thefi'ngers of the paper CHARLES E. MCGILJ'J gnides ans envelop arm, and held in po'si- Witnesses; a 5 tion to cover aeh'eetbeih ,printed upon, as v WILLIAM B. LAMA,

I VT. MACLAREN.

and.fo1 thepurpose set o rth. f 

